Tire-chain tool



June 16, 1925. 1 M. H. MASSUEFZE TIRE cHAiN TOOL Filed May-4, 192 3 Mark E Maw'umr Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES MARK HEBER MASSUERE,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF CHEYENNE, WYOMING.

TIRE-CHAIN r0013.

Application filed May 4,

Cheyenne, in the county of Laramie and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire- Chain Tools; and I do hereby declare the following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in tire chain tools and relates more particularly to a tool adapted for drawing the ends of Weed or other tire chains together upon the tire of a vehicle whereby the chain may be with greater facility on gaged and locked'in place.

An object of theinvention is to provide a tool which will firmly rngage the locking hook avoiding any likelihood of disengagement or slipping and to provide a tool which is thin and easily manipulated while also sliding easily into the hook and permitting of the easy withdrawing of the tool from the'hook.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a curved tool to induce an automatic sliding of the chain linktoward the hook in the act of applying the stress whereby to increase the leverage and reduce the necessary applied power to a minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a tire and chain with'the improved device shown in an initial position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the same parts in a-final position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improved tool, and

F'gure 4 is a longitudinal section taken centrally through the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 designates a pneumatic or other vehicle tire and 2 indicates generally a tire chain of the W'eed or other variety. These chains are kept in the tool box or other storage place in the vehicle and are applied 1923. Serial No. 636,603.

to the tires in wet weather or upon slippery or muddy roads in order to avoid skidding. The chains are provided with hooks or I clasps at one end to receive the links 6 upon the other'ends of the chain after the latter has been wrapped about the tire. The

clasp comprises a pair of cooperating members 4 and 5 pivoted together at (5 upon a chain link and generally having an outer hook 7 and an inner hook 8, which hooks are closed by the clasp member 5 when such members are swung together. This is a well known construction.

The improved tool is used to draw the clasp and the chain link 3 together and this tool is preferably made from a single piece of fiat sheet metal susceptible of being bent and the major portion of the tool is bent .into a tubular form to provide a handle 9 which is substantially straight, the roundness being agreeable to the hand of the user and this tubular part of the tool being preferably of small diameter to economize in material, to render the device light and the expense of making it small, but it will be appreciated that, due to the bending of the sheet metal into this tubular form and to the major straight portion of the handle, the lightness of the tool and the saving in the material is not attended by any weakness as considerable strain is involved in drawing these chains together. The operative end of the tool is struck on the arc of a circle which merges with the handle portion, the curvature taking place from a center that is inwardly with respect to the edges of the sheet metal. I

This operative end of the tool is substantially flat along its inner circumference and flanges 10 extend outwardly from op posite longitudinal edges thereof, lying approximately at right angles to the flat inner curved circumferential portion 11 in order to reinforce and strengthen the operative end to resist any tendency in the curved portion to buckle or become distorted. The free edges of the sheet metal at the operative end are not 'broughttogether but the full benefit from the flanges is secured by leaving the operative end open at the rear and extending the flanges back at right angles for the entire depth of the sheet metal. This construction further reinforces the entire tool throughout. The operative end is further made with a longitudinal slot 12 in the inner flat part 11 and near the extieinityofsaid end, leaving. only asniall tip or coiniect'ing part 13 b youd the sloi the purpose of engaging either oi, the hooks 7 or 8, the slot 12 being sulliciently long to clear the hook 8 when the device is engaged within the hook S of the. clasp.

The manner of use of the device is clear from Figures 1 and 2. 'Iihehandle 9 is inserted through the link 3 and the slot 12 engaged over either of the hooks. In the instance shown the slot is slipped over the hook 7 and theconnecting bar 13 lies-within the space between the hooks 7 and 8. Inthis position, the toolis swung as a lever from the initial position shown-in Figure l to the position illustrated-in Figure 2. It will be seen that the linkB and the clasp are drawn together, the link 3 riding into the hook 7. The tool can be further forced. over toward the right to disengage the same from the hook andafterwards the clasp member 5 is closed thus securing the link 3 against accidental escape.

In like manner the tool may be engaged with the hook 8 in which case any looseness or slack in the chain will be taken up, the link 3 restingfinally in the hook 8.

By inserting the slotted end of the tool into the chain link on the hook and holding the slotted end of the tool at right angles to the hook, the chainlink canbe easily slid out of the hook upon the tool, thus-making the detaching of the chain an easy matter.

The slotted end of the tool holds the tool firmly on the hook, preventing slipping in any direction. The thinness of the tool end that works in the hook gives ample room for the chain link to slide easily into-the hook and allows easily withdrawing of the tool fromthe hook.

The curved portion of the tool permits the chain link to automatically slide towards the'hook as the stress is applied, thus increasing the leverage asv the-stress increases and reducing the necessary applied power to a minimum.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction. and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing" from the. spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

hat is claimed is::-

1. An'improvechtire chain tool composed of light thin sheet metal comprising a handle portion substantially straight and tubular, and an operative'end curved from the handle portion with the center of the curvature inwardly of the intermediate part of the sheet metal from which the tool is made, said operative end being substantially flat on its inner circumference and having flanges extending outwardly from opposite edges of the flat portion, said flanges being substantially at right angles to the flat portion and the operative end of the tool being open between the flanges at its outer side, said flanges merging into the outer portion of the tubular handle, said flat inner portion of the operative end of the tool having an elongated slot near itsextremity and provided with a connecting bar at the outer end of the slot, said connecting bar being thin and adapted to engage over a hook of the clasp member carried by the chain.

:2. A tire chain tool comprising a handle made substantially straight and of sheet metal bent into approximatelytubular form with the meeting edges of the sheet metal extending axially thereof, said slieet metal also providing an operative end of the tool, said operative end being'curved from the handle on a sweeping arc and having the inner circumference portion provided by the intermediate part of the sheet metal with the edges of the sheet metal extending outwardly of the curved part, the inner curved part being substantially flat andthe sheet metal being bent at substantially right angles from opposite edges of said flat part to form reinforcing. flanges, said flat portion near the end of thetool being provided with an elongated slot: adapted to engage over either hookof a tire chain clasp,.anda thin connecting bar at the. outer end of the slot adapted to take intoeither hook selectively.

3. A- non-skid tire chain applying. tool formed of a bar having a shank adapted to be grasped by the hand and-having a hook engaging element at its inner end for engagement with the hook of a non-skid chain, and'thebar having its inner end portion disposed at. a substantial angle to the shank and connected to. the shankby a curvedportion bowed toward the portion of the chain it engages-and the concave surfaceo'f which is adapted to engage and guidea linkof a chaininto engagement with=the hookas-the bar is moved in the chain tightening direction.

MARK HEBER MASSUERE. 

